News from Britt Hill – September 2024

SUMMER IS WINDING DOWN, and with it our annual shows on the Britt hill. There are still a handful of amazing concerts this month—plus one extra-special show on October 14!—and it’s been a pleasure to spend summer with all of you in our beautiful concert hall under the stars!

People regularly ask me what we do during the so-called “off season.” One question that makes me laugh every year is, “Is this a full-time job for you all year?” The answer is a resounding yes, and there’s a lot happening behind the scenes all the time. But this year, we’re kicking off one extraordinary project.

It hasn’t been a secret, so I suspect this announcement won’t come as a shock: Britt now holds the keys to the United States Hotel, and we’re thrilled to be stewarding the next chapter of that beautiful facility! We got the keys on August 16, and we’re in the planning stages of rehab, construction, and program planning.

One of our primary functions as an organization is serving as a major economic driver for our region, especially Jacksonville. As we look at the future of the US Hotel building, we know our impact is about to grow in extraordinary ways. We’re focusing our efforts and dollars on local construction teams to keep our funds here in the community. Once construction is complete, we’re planning to hold afterschool programs for teens and tweens, evening workshops (like dance classes) for all ages, occasional small-format acoustic shows, and so much more. Each of these projects will infuse cash into our downtown merchants, as families pick-up pizzas or tacos after workshops, or class attendees adjourn to the bars, taverns, and restaurants downtown. Our staff can’t wait until we can walk over and buy a gift or a book during our lunch breaks, too! While Britt’s office has never been in Jacksonville, moving into the building feels like coming home. We’re proud to be a part of this community, and we are honored to be investing our time and money in Jacksonville.

There’s lots of work to do before we get there, of course, and I thank you in advance for your extraordinary patience as we raise the money needed to do this right. A project like this deserves to be done well, and I know we all care about doing this historic building justice. In February, we plan to hold an open house and fundraiser, and you’ll have the opportunity to lend your voice to some decisions in the project.

Until then, I hope you’ll join us on the hill for one of our last shows of 2024!

All best, Abby